Speech: Devolution after Brexit
A speech by the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon David Mundell MP, marking the 20th anniversary of the Scotland Act 1998.
Ladies and gentlemen.
On August 7, 1885, the Conservative Prime Minister Lord Salisbury wrote to the Duke of Richmond to offer him the newly-created post of Scottish Secretary.
He said the work 바카라 사이트榠s not heavy바카라 사이트� but warned that expectations were high.
He went on to suggest 바카라 사이트榯he effulgence of two dukedoms and the best salmon river in Scotland바카라 사이트� would go a long way to meeting those expectations.
Thankfully, the qualifications for the job have changed since then.
I can boast neither a splendid dukedom nor a salmon river.
I can, however, attest that expectations remain high. So perhaps not everything has changed.
This year marks 20 years since devolution and the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.
I believe this is a good moment to take stock.
It is a good moment to consider what Scotland바카라 사이트檚 expectations are today, from a system which gives us two parliaments and two governments.
I don바카라 사이트檛 intend to provide a detailed chronology of devolution, and certainly not a history of the office of Secretary of State for Scotland.
The key developments over the past 20 years are familiar to us.
A referendum in 1997, the Act in 1998 and a parliament up and running barely six months later.
A further Scotland Act in 2012 gave Holyrood the power to set a Scottish rate of income tax, replace Stamp Duty and borrow more money.
And in 2016 an even more wide-ranging Scotland Act was passed, creating significant new income tax powers and transferring responsibility for a large swathe of welfare provision.
So rather than dwell on the detail, I want to consider how devolution works, how it can be strengthened as we leave the EU, and how relations between our two governments must adapt and develop in future.
But first, let me declare an interest.
I am a passionate supporter of devolution. I was proud to be elected as an MSP in that first intake in May 1999.
As an MP and, by then, a minister in the Scotland Office, I played my part in delivering the 2012 Act. As Secretary of State for Scotland, it was an immense privilege to take the 2016 Act through Parliament.
Two decades on from the first Scotland Act, Holyrood has become one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world. Power and accountability are better balanced than ever before. And, to borrow a word bandied more frequently by my political opponents, devolution has a stronger mandate than ever before.
The vote in 1997 was re-affirmed by our decision in 2014 to remain part of the UK. And in the 2017 general election there was overwhelming support for devolutionist parties:
바카라 사이트upport for a strong Scottish Parliament within the UK.
바카라 사이트here the UK바카라 사이트檚 strengths 바카라 사이트� our internal market, our global reach 바카라 사이트� are Scotland바카라 사이트檚 strengths.
바카라 사이트here decisions affecting only Scotland are taken at Holyrood by MSPs바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ut where decisions affecting the whole UK are taken at Westminster by MPs, including, of course, 59 MPs from Scotland.
Devolution is about striking a balance and I believe the balance now achieved is a good one.
Today, the fiercest debates at Holyrood are about tax decisions; about how to raise money as much as how to spend it. That accountability has to be a good thing.
I do not support the Scottish 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 decisions on income tax, making Scotland the most highly taxed part of the UK. I바카라 사이트檓 not impressed by the idea of taxing people 拢500 to park at work.
But I support Holyrood바카라 사이트檚 power to make these choices, the accountability it brings and the debate it provokes.
And as the Scottish 바카라 사이트 begins to use new welfare powers in the years ahead I look forward to the debate at Holyrood focusing on the difficult decisions that will entail.
That, then, is my starting point.
Devolution has proved itself flexible and responsive 바카라 사이트� a 바카라 사이트榩rocess not an event바카라 사이트� as Donald Dewar said back in 1999. After 20 years I believe the settlement is strong. And I believe the principles that lie behind it are more widely accepted than ever.
I reject completely the argument put forward by opponents of devolution that it has been crushed by Brexit:
바카라 사이트hat the settlement has been undermined by the return of powers from Brussels.
바카라 사이트ven, that Holyrood has been victim of a pernicious 바카라 사이트榩ower grab바카라 사이트�.
Let me tackle these myths head on.
They rest on two misunderstandings 바카라 사이트� about the 1998 Scotland Act itself and about one of the early conventions that supports it, the Sewel Convention, which says the UK Parliament will not normally pass legislation in a devolved area without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.
Firstly, it has been claimed that devolution is broken because the UK바카라 사이트檚 EU Withdrawal Act 2018 was passed despite legislative consent being withheld by the Scottish Parliament.
It was claimed that the Sewel Convention was breached or, if it hadn바카라 사이트檛 been breached, it was not fit for purpose and must be changed.
Lord Sewel himself answered the first point, judging clearly that the Convention was adhered to.
And the Scottish 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 own Brexit minister said 바카라 사이트渢hese are not normal times바카라 사이트�.
In fact, the Sewel Convention remains an essential element in the devolution settlement.
The UK 바카라 사이트 continues to seek legislative consent for Bills that interact with devolution.
We work with the Scottish 바카라 사이트 clause by clause in an effort to reach agreement.
I was pleased the Scottish 바카라 사이트 agreed to recommend consent for our Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill - legislation which will allow the UK 바카라 사이트 to continue to fund healthcare for Scots who have retired to or are working in the EU.
I hope consent for other Brexit-related Bills will also be forthcoming 바카라 사이트� despite the Scottish 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 stated position to oppose them.
As things stand, the EU Withdrawal Act is the only piece of legislation in 20 years to be passed at Westminster after consent was withheld at Holyrood.
I believe that is a sign of Sewel바카라 사이트檚 success and not its failure.
The second myth is that of the 바카라 사이트榩ower grab바카라 사이트�.
Now, to listen to the rhetoric coming from some of my political opponents, you could be forgiven for thinking that Holyrood is being stripped of a whole raft of powers it currently exercises.
It is complete fantasy; an invented grievance.
The reality is that more than 100 powers previously exercised in Brussels will transfer to Edinburgh.
These will transfer directly to the Scottish Parliament on the day we leave the EU.
Some powers will be exercised within new UK-wide frameworks, where the UK 바카라 사이트 and devolved administrations agree to do so.
They are in areas such as animal health and welfare, food labelling, and chemical and pesticide regulations. Areas where the UK 바카라 사이트 and the devolved administrations have already agreed it makes sense to take a UK approach.
Progress towards establishing these arrangements between the UK and Scottish 바카라 사이트s has been good, as our latest report to Parliament on the issue makes absolutely clear.
To characterise this process as a 바카라 사이트榩ower grab바카라 사이트� is nonsense. Holyrood is losing none of its existing powers and is gaining significant new powers as a result of Brexit.
What these myths amount to is an attempt to undermine devolution 바카라 사이트� to sweep away the 바카라 사이트�98 settlement 바카라 사이트� by people who do not support devolution because they want independence. We should not be surprised by that.
We should remain deeply suspicious when opponents of devolution try to present themselves as its champions and protectors.
Now, to be clear, I바카라 사이트檓 not arguing devolution is perfect or that it should be frozen in time. Devolution바카라 사이트檚 adaptability is a strength and will remain so in future.
The 2016 powers are already having a positive effect at Holyrood and Brexit will bring further responsibility.
It will also raise fresh questions about intergovernmental relations - how our governments work together.
As we leave the EU, I believe these questions 바카라 사이트� more so than powers 바카라 사이트� will become pressing.
In the years ahead, our two governments 바카라 사이트� and the devolved administrations elsewhere in the UK 바카라 사이트� will need to work more closely than ever before.
We will need to manage our new UK regulatory frameworks. We will need structures that work 바카라 사이트� that respect devolution and encourage collaboration.
I바카라 사이트檓 pleased to say that work on this is underway.
Last year a Joint Ministerial Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the First Minister, agreed to commission a review of intergovernmental relations. I바카라 사이트檓 confident this work can point the way to improved joint working. Not least because we have a lot to build upon.
Sometimes, Scottish 바카라 사이트 ministers claim that relations between the UK and Scottish governments are at their lowest ebb. This is simply not true.
(In my experience, they were at their rockiest in 2014, as the Scottish 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 former Permanent Secretary, Sir Peter Housden, confirmed.)
To date there have been 16 meetings of the JMC (EN), a ministerial forum specially created to shape our approach to leaving the EU, with meetings scheduled monthly. This is a crucial mechanism by which we engage with the DAs. The set of principles that will guide the development of UK frameworks were forged in the JMC (EN).
Behind the scenes, officials from the two governments are working well together on Brexit-related legislation and Brexit preparations on a daily basis.
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister took the decision to invite the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales to attend meetings of a key new cabinet sub-committee co-ordinating Brexit preparations.
In addition, our review of intergovernmental relations will look at the principles which should underpin our working relationships; at the machinery of devolution 바카라 사이트� whether we need new forums or new JMC bodies; and at how we should resolve disputes in future.
It is very much a live issue.
I바카라 사이트檓 pleased that Westminster바카라 사이트檚 Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster are conducting their own inquiry into intergovernmental relations:
바카라 사이트ven if, so far at least, it seems to have focused on calls for the role Secretary of State for Scotland to be abolished.
As you can imagine, I am looking forward to presenting an alternative perspective when I give evidence in due course.
I actually believe the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland will become more, not less, important, as we enter the post-Brexit devolution world and a more complex era of intergovernmental relations.
The role of promoting the work of the UK 바카라 사이트 in Scotland, and giving voice to Scottish concerns around the Cabinet table, will be more critical than ever.
The reasons for that are clear.
Just as Holyrood will need to adapt to the wealth of new powers at its disposal, so the UK 바카라 사이트 will have to consider its changing role in the new landscape:
바카라 사이트he UK 바카라 사이트 must and will remain prominent in Scotland.
바카라 사이트he UK 바카라 사이트 must and will remain central to Scotland바카라 사이트檚 story.
We must continually re-affirm our support for devolution and demonstrate our contribution to the lives of those represented by our MPs.
Failure to do so would be a failure to deliver on the result of two referendums 바카라 사이트� the 1997 vote in favour of a Scottish Parliament and 2014 decision to reject independence.
When our opponents try to talk the UK down we should remind them of the things Scots value:
바카라 사이트he pooling and sharing of resources which support our public services;
바카라 사이트he finest armed forces in the world. Including a Royal Navy filling the Clyde바카라 사이트檚 order book until 2030.
바카라 사이트ensions they can rely upon.
바카라 사이트 record on international aid that any country in the world should be proud of.
The list goes on.
But the UK 바카라 사이트 can and should be doing even more.
In an important speech in Glasgow, the Prime Minister called a halt to what she described as a process of 바카라 사이트榙evolve and forget바카라 사이트�.
바카라 사이트he idea that because health, say, or education, or culture in Scotland are devolved to the Scottish 바카라 사이트, the UK 바카라 사이트 no longer cares about them.
The Prime Minister was very clear. As Prime Minister for the whole of the UK, she said the educational attainment of 10-year-olds in Dundee was as important to her as that of their peers in Doncaster.
Predictably, this was deliberately misinterpreted in some quarters as another kind of power grab. It was nothing of sort. It was an appeal for more collaboration, for better joint working, for learning from each other. In other words, for more effective devolution.
I believe she was right to assert the UK 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 interest in all parts of people바카라 사이트檚 lives in Scotland.
And I believe now is the time to build on that. We are already seeing this happen in the UK 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 拢1billion-plus Growth Deal programme in Scotland.
UK investment is mostly spent in the reserved sphere, on things like research and development. But not exclusively so. Cultural projects, such as Edinburgh바카라 사이트檚 exciting new concert hall development or Stirling바카라 사이트檚 national tartan centre, will also benefit from UK 바카라 사이트 investment.
There are already examples of areas where devolved policy areas interact with reserved matters 바카라 사이트� in foreign trade, for example 바카라 사이트� where the Scottish 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 agency Scottish Development International works alongside the UK 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 Department for International Trade.
Or, in overseas aid, where Scottish 바카라 사이트 support for projects in Malawi augments the UK effort.
Going forward, I want to see Scotland바카라 사이트檚 two governments working closely together for the benefit of people in Scotland.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund 바카라 사이트� which will fill the space left by EU structural funds post-Brexit 바카라 사이트� should provide an opportunity for both governments to collaborate on transformational projects across Scotland, from the Borders to the Highlands and Islands.
Scotland would be ill-served if one government could not add to the work being done by another. The time is right for this. Scots expect their two governments to work together and politicians on all sides accept the need to work together.
Twenty years on, devolution is indeed the settled will of the people of Scotland.
The settlement has proved itself adaptable and is strong.
Our system of two governments and two parliaments has held up to scrutiny 바카라 사이트� endorsed by one and then a second referendum.
The people who claim Brexit has broken devolution are the people who WANT Brexit to break devolution;
바카라 사이트ho see Brexit not in terms of securing the right deal for Scotland but as an opportunity to tear Scotland out of the UK.
바카라 사이트 position, of course, that has been rejected by not one but two referendums.
I do not believe Brexit will damage devolution.
I want it to strengthen devolution, and I believe that can and will happen.
Leaving the EU will bring new powers to Holyrood and new responsibilities to the Scottish 바카라 사이트.
But the UK 바카라 사이트 is also being challenged to adapt to the new, post-Brexit era of devolution.
I바카라 사이트檓 confident we WILL meet the challenge;
바카라 사이트hat we WILL foster a relationship of mutual respect between Westminster and Holyrood.
바카라 사이트hat we WILL find ourselves using new ways to improve the daily lives of those we serve.
We바카라 사이트檒l do it because, like the majority of Scots, we believe in devolution. And we have a duty to deliver all that it offers for Scotland.
ENDS